Fallen Arch Insoles

Fallen Arches, Flat Feet, and Foot Pain: How to Resolve them

‘Fallen arches’ is a catch-all term for many conditions , primarily flat feet, that is used when the concave curved shape on the sole of the middle of the foot starts to appear lower. The foot has a domed or vault-like profile, known commonly as the ‘arch’, so that changes in its profile (lowering and raising) during walking and running  make the foot act as a shock absorber. 

When you have your whole foot flat on the floor, the arch flattens down to a variable degree, allowing the foot to squash down and spread out. This improves the foot’s contact with the ground (or shoe) while providing a mildly springy shock-absorbing property to the whole foot. Just like stretching or squashing a spring, the more the foot pushes down the stiffer it should become. As the heel lifts off the ground towards the end of each step, the arch starts to ‘spring’ back into shape aiding acceleration forward off the foot.

If the arch starts to squash down more than it used to, becoming less adaptable and less springy, it can be considered to have fallen. Usually, the shape of the foot when off the ground is unaffected, but the feet can become more easily tired or painful/achy. 

Insoles for Fallen Arches

Weak foot muscles are the most common cause of a fallen arch and over time, the foot might start to hurt because it has lost its natural shock absorber and springy power. Exercises and specially designed and contoured arch support insoles, such as the ArchAngel are the best solution. Using shock absorbing flat feet insoles or memory-foam insoles only deals with the shock-absorbing problem, not the loss of foot’s spring-like power. 

What is Flat Feet?

Feet come in all shapes and sizes. In childhood, feet tend to be flatter. Foot arches only start to form properly from around ages five to seven, so many very young kids may have a flat foot, although the height an arch obtains during growth varies considerably reflecting foot strength, joint mobility, lifestyle while growing, and other family members foot shapes. Children without flat feet pain should be kept active and walking barefoot as much as they can, especially outside on uneven terrain where it is safe to do so.

Adults also demonstrate a wide range of foot profiles, such as flat feet caused by over pronation, and different foot arch profiles also cause the foot to function a little differently. It is feet that are not working well that need intervention, and all foot shape types can develop pain and problems.

What Causes Foot Pain?

Feet can develop pain for many different reasons. The most common causes relate to weak foot and calf muscles either directly or indirectly. This is because these muscles control the foot’s function and power, protecting the foot from damage as we walk. However, footwear choice can make life hard for feet by overly crushing them, preventing muscles and joints working properly.

Foot pains include metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, Morton’s neuroma, and arch pain and strains. Often, wearing shoes with a wide toe box, a flattish heel, and with good fixation (a lace is best) will improve symptoms. Trainer and comfort type shoes are ideal. However, strengthening the feet using simple exercises and using a specially designed arch contouring insole, such as the ArchAngel, will start to resolve most foot pains within a short time.

Insoles help improve foot function, but simple rehabilitation exercises are incredibly important for arch and will reinforce the effect of the arch support insoles. 

By using our Foot Therapy Balls, the toe flexors become stronger allowing the foot to grip the floor during walking. This makes for a more efficient gait, helping you improve your posture

By exercising and strengthening the foot it is possible to help improve your foot health. So use exercises like aware heel raise and calf and foot strengthening  and aware Toe Motion Exercise.

If your problem doesn’t start to settle down with exercises and/or using the ArchAngel support products with good footwear products, we recommend you consult a foot health specialist (such as a podiatrist).

Feet that are becoming flatter rapidly, and have become painful around the inside of the ankles on walking, need treatment. See a foot health specialist (such as a podiatrist) as soon as you can to rule out a serious problem.

If you are diabetic and your foot feels hot and starts flattening, seek urgent attention from your diabetic medical team, including the accident and emergency department if you are unable to see your specialist diabetic team rapidly. If you are diabetic and develop a foot pain, foot wound or your foot shape starts to change consult a podiatrist as soon as possible.